Panthers’ Huberdeau leaves game after taking skate to leg

Panthers fans are holding their breath as Jonathan Huberdeau needed help leaving Saturday's preseason game against the New Jersey Devils with an apparent leg injury.

Florida Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau left Saturday’s pre-season game against the New Jersey Devils after an errant skate came down on his leg.

Huberdeau got tied up with Devils forward Sergey Kalinin behind the New Jersey net. Kalinin’s skate landed on the back of Huberdeau’s ankle and had the 23-year-old hobbling in pain before being helped off the ice.

In September, the third overall pick from the 2011 draft signed a six-year, $35.4-million extension that begins next season.

He had a career-best 20 goals and 59 points in 2015-16 and is one of several core pieces the Panthers have locked up through 2022.

The Panthers have already lost centre Nick Bjugstad to a broken hand earlier this pre-season.

Bjugstad is expected to miss four weeks.

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.